Why You Should Strive for a Meaningful Life, Not a Happy One 

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I'm an older lady who certainly hasn;t had what anyone would describe as a "happy" life, but I would describe it as a "meaningful" life. And I do not regret it.

A meaningful life provides happiness.

Eternity by William Blake He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sunrise

I think this is why many artists are able to endure great suffering, because they can find meaning in the things that make them miserable.

0:16 Happiness, the ultimate aim? 1:20 History of Happiness 2:18 Happiness : Virtue vs Pleasure 2:47 Hedonic Treadmill 3:40 The Alternative to Happiness 4:55 How to cultivate meaning 5:04 Ineffective approach : External Goods 5:46 Practical approach : Character 6:28 Role of Goals 7:10 The right attitude to Goal-setting 7:46 Not all goals are valuable 8:48 Happiness, a side-effect of meaning?

"Do what is meaningful, not what is expedient"

This channel needs to hit a Million soon. ♥️

Yearn to feel every emotion, rather than just one

Happiness is overrated; exercise and peace of mind are the key to a good life.

Interesting to see the rest of the comments say this was influenced by Jordan Peterson. It seems more likely that both Jordan and Academy of Ideas have tapped into the ancient wisdom of our ancestors and came to the same conclusion.

Do not let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason that today arm you against the present. -Marcus Aurelius

Jordan Peterson said when happiness comes your way you should be thrilled. I say when an Academy of Ideas video comes your way you should be thrilled.

"There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists" Find peace within yourself and you won every struggle. When you do it, it becomes a job, a duty. Nothing gets you down and you keep it that way.

So in short, striving a meaningful life is the source of being happy because without meaning, there is nothingness.

Fulfillment is where I find joy, when I am constantly productive, mastering and sharpening myself, learning new things, conquering my goals, expending hard work and energy. It makes me feel satisfied. I’ve reached a point where pleasure soon becomes guilt and depression for me. If I over-indulge, I get anxious and I want out, it doesn’t ‘satisfy’ me in the end, because I know I could be doing something way more productive and meaningful during that time.

Really great ideas that have extreme meaning to me, a 60 year old man who played the pleasure game early in my adult life but then decided to struggle and attain goals. I tell my students that if you want to be happy you must embrace difficulty and struggle in your life.

This channel is true to its title , Academy of Ideas. A big shout from Alexandria, Egypt.

yep, totally agree. Should be taught on the first day of every school year. Meaning, not chasing happiness

Spot on! What most people call happiness nowadays is actually nothing more than gratification. Gratification increases dopamine, but serotonin is the hormone of true happiness (i.e. built on self-discipline, personal virtue), not dopamine. When your dopamine increases, your serotonin actually decreases. In other words, gratification decreases your happiness.

I would say strive for happiness by virtues and values. Strive for meaningful life by creating an art, valuable work, something you deeply care about,, passion about, or matters to you. The thing you care about should at least be (by the best of your ability) consistent with your values and virtues. Thanks

Luke 17:33 “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.”

We cant control how outside forces effect us. Meaning brings a gift of spiritual understanding and euphoria that comes after overcoming hard times. This is a beautiful experience.

The content this channel provides has answered so many questions I have and it has even allowed me to debunk many false notions and fallacies told to me.

Realizing that life is not about being happy has actually removed a lot of pressure and thoughts about “what am I doing wrong, why can’t I just be happy”. It has improved my life and having meaningful goals to strive for instead has actually brought me more happiness.

No wonder I love reading Berserk.

Thanks. Been going through an rough patch emotionally but videos like this reassure me that I’m approaching my problems correctly.

I've been feeling this for years now. This video describes my personal philosophy perfectly, and its so refreshing to see many philosophers who share similar ideas. Thank you for the video, keep making great content.

YOUR BEST VIDEO YET!!! JUST WHAT I NEEDED RIGHT NOW!

‘To merely float with the tide of life promotes a weak body and a soft mind, hence we need to learn to swim with the stream of life and fight for worthy goals.’ Really impressed by your words!

I can't even imagine how fulfilling it may be for you in getting these vids posted for all of us. A purposeful feat; you help replant these brilliant seeds for all us living, affecting all of us who fully watch, listen, ponder, rewind, ponder, and utilize. Mad thanks from me sir

This channel and thoughts from Peterson are breaking mental strongholds in my life. I have known for a while that I have always caused my own pain, but this channel really breaks it down.

I like how I watch these videos thinking I'm intelligent and ahead of society. While I'm really just an idiot fooling himself. I'd like to believe I could achieve something great but most likely won't.

You don't know how much I enjoy your videos. They are of great help dealing with everyday struggles and are very inspiring and thought provoking. I also really love the art you choose. Thank you, as soon as I get a job I'm going to support you on patreon.

RU-vid suggested I watch this. I'm so glad I clicked. Just wanted to appreciate the level of subtlety in editing and good taste in fine art.

Your philosophy videos are the only ones that I value on RU-vid. They give me clarity. School of Life and all the others only dilute my view of life even more.

Last picture of the boat was my favorite!

When you mix pleasure, with meaningful happiness and purpose of life that's when the troubles begin. Be aware you guys because the system is always selling you one thing as substitute for another one. Choose wisely. Great video by the way!

I love love love the classic ART that accompanies these videos!

Among the best of your videos so far. Thank U

This is amazing! I really resonated with this video!! I love the layout of your videos and the quotes you use are very enlightening.

I love learning philosophy with you

This channel is gold.Please don't delete your videos.Ever.

The pictures you present in each and every video are so out of this world

Happiness is only a state of mind.

My favorite video by far!

This has got to be one of the very best videos by Academy of Ideas. A classic. Thanks!

this is pure gold, thank you so much.

This had personal meaning to me, I'm 27 and have had depression and anxiety from the age of 10. The struggle to maintain happiness, and to rely on it for motivation, and discipline, is a chaotic inner battle. Great video, you have the most thought-provoking channel on youtube.

I remember that time when I almost died in that moment I only thought "I want to live" even if moments before I was thinking to suicide and even then when death tried to take me I said no.

I am thankful for the internet at such times! Thank you Academy of Ideas🙌

My favorite channel now. Thank you for the excellent content!

Someone show this video to Bojack Horseman!

I have to disagree with the idea of happiness being fleeting. If you accomplish a goal that brings happiness then, you can always reflect on your achievements, and derive further joy. However it is true that happiness is fleeting in the cases of instant gratification, i.e. happiness without meaning.

The Academy of Ideas makes me happy..and long after watching an episode,I'm still dwelling on that wondrous choice of Art. SINCEREST THANKS!

This is one of the most insightful videos in the entire series. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s actually the means that is the end.

A satisfying life is much more important than having a happy life.

statistics. how many people around your circle are happy? how many pursue meaning? how many achieve their goals? how many do not even care? we should be grounded, happiness is overrated, since we are here, at least lets be useful, eventually we may find a place and happiness will come naturally, but more importantly, fulfillment.

You are my favorite youtuber , i love your work like crazy , and it has helped me so much . Keep on the great job

love the Hunter Thompson quote: "We strive to be ourselves. The goal is absolutely secondary." This speaks to the deep drive we have towards self-actualization, and finding a niche in our society that enables us to self-actualize.

Feeling pain or happiness is no different, it only depends on how you react to the situation that matters.

Sometimes I think people use the word happiness to refer to something different than what I use it to refer to. For me, happiness is not fleeting or unattainable, and it's not something that I associate with pleasure. Happiness and meaning are deeply intertwined for me. I don't know what people mean by "happiness" if not that. Do they just mean pleasure?

@ academy of ideas... this channel has changed my life i was homeless before you... for the bottom of my heart thank you 😊 ♥

Once again, an amazing video that brings so much value. Forever a fan of this channel.

Having suffered from depression since childhood and been very involved in equality, fighting corruption I now know that it is more important to try to change society, change inequality and accept that my time on earth is not to be happy but to find meaning.

Live a meaningful life. Live a happy life. Live a meaningless life. Live an unhappy life. You still live it.

I'm happy that this video was posted.

Whoever has created this material and whoever funded it, and thought of it, I wish to thank.

people consider the ultimate goal of life is happiness but forget that it ends in death which no one can escape.

"Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient." - Jordan B. Peterson

Thank you so much for your videos. I hope it fills your existence with meaning, as you have provided so much meaning to my own.

A million thanx for posting this video.I really needed this

The "Persuit of Happiness" is a fools errand.

How do you quantify meaning? What is meaning? It seems so simple, yet when you think about it it’s so hard to conceptualise. I would love to hear your thoughts on meaning and how one can increase their own.

Thank you so much for providing to us this kind of videos . That's what I really need in this period of my life .

Wisdom is what leads to a much likelier outcome of happiness. There is an immense chasm between the endless shores of knowledge and wisdom.

What if a meaningful life is what makes me happy ? Even if it was hard and full of hardships

Happiness Is Subjective... The Man On Shore Just May Be Just As Happy As The Man Who’s Weathered The Storm...

What a beautiful day! Thank you, academy of ideas!

Love your channel!!! And thank you so much for making transcripts

What does it mean to have a meaningful life ? Have a job, family, friends ? If you are not happy with your job, with your family, with your friends for just the sake of having all of those things, then whats the purpose of meaningful life ? Just so that others can see your life as valuable ? Doesnt person who smiles seem more meaningful to you than person who is sad but has a "meaningful" job. Meaningful seems to be the same as purpose, because you cling to it and you navigate through life with it. But Id rather be happy next to the person I love, job that makes me fulfilled, eventhough it might seem less meaningful than someone working for Nasa. People get depressed because they search for purpose, for aim, for something that will serve as definition to use against being unhappy. Why go against your instincts and always cite old philosophers ? Move on, progress people, smile, do what makes you happy and try to share some of that with others. Bye

A nice video, although I don't see why one cannot strife to obtain both strong character and material resources that allow him to influence the world that surrounds him more efficiently. I personally see the process of building strong character as a process of gathering resources that can be used to influence one's internal and external reality. However these resources can be complemented by material resources, social relations, personal expertise and intelligence and all other resources that allow us to make desired changes to our internal and external reality. The keyword to me is control. Over everything else we desire to be in control of our own fate. Developing strong character and beneficial habits allow us to gain control over our internal reality and prevents us from becoming slaves to our desires and other weaknesses of the mind. Building a strong social network, expertise in respected profession and amassing material resources are some of the things that let us influence and take control of our external reality. To me strong character alone is not enough. More important is to be able to have desired influence to the world that surrounds you and to be able to choose your own fate.

Your videos resonate to the core of my being man. Amazing work you have done with this channel ,you are a true gem that should shared with the world, or atleast anyone who wants to explore the underlying function of consciousness . Fascinating stuff, im hooked on your content , keep it up

Meaning is the cake, happiness is the icing on the cake.

Then I'll roleplay as a samurai.

This is excellent. Consistent high quality in the videos of this channel, ty.

This channel feeds my mind and spirit. Thank you.

How can one find and learn more about paintings as good as these?

I quite strongly disagree with the main claim of this video. Hear me out: I do not believe that one can find any perfect meaning or purpose for their life beyond happiness. Whether we, for example, pursue money or fame, friends and family, serving humanity, creating things, art, or anything else, if we ask ourselves why, and ask why a few more times, we will eventually find that it is to make us happy. We make decisions that make ourselves (and the people around us) suffer a little bit less, and overall be a little more content with life. There is no inherent value in building character either; its only value is how it may prepare us to be happier in the future. I certainly agree that blindly seeking vain pleasures will never quench our desires and only make us more empty, but unfortunately seeking meaning by "building character" can lead to the same feeling. Luckily, seeking happiness does not mean endlessly seeking more pleasure. Instead, I believe happiness comes from learning to be content with our lives and our world. In many cases, the only way we can ensure that we are happy is to learn to be content with little. We dont need lavish feasts to subsist, only a modest diet. We dont need the whole world to love us, just a one or two will do. If we learn to appreciate and truly love the things in our life that are not terrible, and if we lower our expectations enough to be happily surprised by the good, then we can start to find peace in our lives. If you wish to seek meaning in your life, I think that that can be wonderful. But if you wish to find meaning in the world, dont be surprised to find that it's turtles all the way down. Just remember that, and don't waste too much time thinking you'll find meaning when all of humanity hasn't after thousands of years of searching. For more perspectives on how to live a good life, I would recommend studying Epicureanism, Stoicism, and maybe some Buddhist philosophy. Thanks for listening to my ted talk

This is so powerful. It has taken me a long time to get to a point where I can understand this. I have tried many times to aim squarely for pleasure only to find myself in misery shortly after. I don’t exactly understand how this works but one thing is for damn sure and that is it does work.

A nice reminder when the world is swirling, you sometimes cannot escape. It's easy to fall. Then at the right time you hear the right thing to put you back in the middle. Thank you.

happiness really is just based on other people's want for you: you looking good by having what others say is good (car, house etc). Meaning is what your soul is telling you is good for you. SO happiness is just to please others in reality whereas meaning is something good for you and others.

meaning is somhow tied with the service of others . when you say a meaningful goal my first thought is a goal boynd my selfish desires. a meaning ful goal is a one that dosn't serves us alone but all of society and mybe humanity is this irrational thinking or is pefectly reasnoable ? should one give all of his energy of making his evermoint better or only himself ?

Thanks for the video! I would also like to add that I've spent countless days thinking about my goals and proyects, but thinking about yourself all day can be tiring. I found relief by helping people in a community setting. What I'm saying is: I think we're all a bit obsessed with the development of the SELF, and I sense that thinking about others' wellbeing may be the perfect relief. Just my opinion, and thanks for the great concept in the video.

This video was really an eye-opener. The concept of the path is more important then the achievement really make me think about my current situation.

Knowledge of my mortality necessarily precludes my happiness.

Nothing makes any sense in the death moments, and I don't want to regret in my old years or in the final moments that i felt terrible for my whole life while acting pretentious , seeking some sort of meaningful life at the surface while being completely devastated at the core, rather I would accept life is short and no one gives a damn whether you lived happy or meaningful life once you are dead. I would rather like to enjoy my presence, appreciate little things, embrace feelings of love , my flaws , my achievements. If I just accept that for me happiness is the meaning, I'm invincible. P.s as I said above, no gives a damn the way you lead your life once you are dead, or even if they do, i am not alive to see or appreciate those "damns". So.....

You gave so much value to my life through your videos... i just wanted to say thank you

"You are your experience." - Alan Watts Reducing your Being down to a single dimension (happiness vs unhappiness), you sacrifice the depth of human experience, which is where true meaning is to be found.